Thanks for the emails and calls concerning hurricane Ike and it's approach towards Houston& Galveston. First, if you ordered something from me recently, please expect some delays in getting it to you, as with hurricanes....you usually lose electricity, internet, phone, water and other services shut down like US Mail, and companies like FedEx, UPS, ect, also ground flights (Houston Hobby airport shut down this morning 09.12.08 at 9:00am CST and George Bush/Intercontineltail is shutting down in 45 minutes at 1:00pm) but everythign grinds to halt and just like hurricane Gustav which hit Louisiana 3 or so weeks ago, there are many people over there in Gustav'a path STILL without power, running water and other things. So please be patient, and hold off on the calls and emails to me as there is probably a better than hell chance I will not get them! But keep Paige, Noah, Jacob and me in thoughts; we are all boarded up (and hunkered down with things I usually don't eat like donuts, honeybuns, healthy cereal stuff, and enough food to go for 4-7 days with no power) but unfortunately didn't have any place to put the 74 Javelin, 74 AMX and 69 BBO Javelin that just came in so they are under the oak and elm trees, of which I only hope those 100 foot trees will withstand 70-120 mile per hour wind! We will know next week however! A comment on those people who didn't want to leave the areas under MANDATORY EVACUATION. You better have a "waterproof will" somewhere so they can ID you. Harsh but I have went thru about 16 hurricanes thru the years, and while some are big Texas sized thunderstorms, others are sheer hell on earth for 8-12 hours straight. And there is absolutely nothing in Galveston and those areas that can hold up to a 20+ foot storm surge anyhows. And what property will you be protecting when it is gone? And hospitals, EMS and rescue can't (and won't risk their people) to get to you? (Insert Eddie hurricane story here!) Back in the 1970s we used to have 'hurricane parties' down in Corpus Christi. Good way to get people together, cases of beer, booze and uh, stuff. It's not too much fun seeing a roof lift off above your head and fly away and all you and biddies are holding is a bong. A few notes also, there have been already 100 rescues off Bolivar and in Galveston where a really big fire burns at/near Yatch Club but no one can reach it. Something else, you Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana people know what I am talking about but when you have a big storm surge, there are SNAKES everywhere. We used to go dow to McGee beach in Corpus Christi in the 60s/70s (we lived a mile inland from CC bay) and beat snakes in the surf. Some were big snakes and let dad handle them, and as soon as we would smack them, the seagulls that were brave enough (or dumb enough) to still be flying in 40+ mph wind, would scarf them up. Also, if you have kids, it is tough on them so maybe let them stay with parents as the wind sound is horrifying and relentless. One day I will tell you abuot hurricane Celia, Aug 3rd, 1970 that hit Corpus Christi. I still have nightmares about that 500+ pound fan flying off the Coca Cola company next door and travelled about 100 yards and tore our roof off and suddenly rocks from the same roof were flying in fast as BB gun, taking out glass, photos, mom's back, lights, so really important to let kids know mom and dad close if you got kids. Oh and if any of you are watching this hurricane reality show on the major channels, make note of the water rising. You have a LOT of places already flooding.....and NO rain has fallen. The reason why is the Ike is pushing up a ton of water into Galveston bay and surrounding areas, so some have already had 9 feet of water come in, but Ike is still hours from landfall. And when it lands you have the storm surge expected to be as high as 20-25 feet in places like ship channel! Amazing. Also watch for some reporters to be flying sideways, not sure why 1000+ reporters and their crews go into a mandatory evaucation zone. Anyways, with that in mind, here are some sites of interest as this massive (if hurricane Ike was superimposed on Texas...it would cover a whopping 93% OF THE STATE) but as Ike moves in tonight/tomorr/Sun here are some site's for ya'll to look at if you have electricity: Live Houston Radar This is a good live feed until the wind will take it out. http://www.click2houston.com/weather/index.html Houston Transtar These are traffic cams live all over out freeways, real interesting views showing not only traffic, but wind, rain, expect some of them to be kocked off poles while others will be jumping around like a kid after eating bag of skittles: http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/cctv/transtar/ Weather Channel live loop of Ike This is no where near Ike as it is satellite loop. As I write this you can see while still a Cat 2 or low Cat 3 hurricane, Ike's effects stretch from into Mexico all the way to Florida, quite a huge system, facinating too, sure wished that hurricane magnet Louisiana would take this one too. http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm9/floater3_large_animated.html?from=hp_main_maps And lastly, this is a small file off my site about hurricane Rita, http://www.planethoustonamx.com/stuff/texas_vs_rita.htm which was a Category 5 hurricane which just missed Houston in 2005, but was the largest evacuation in US history, and while this hurricane Ike is currently 110mph (111mph would be Cat 3, big deal) Ike has a windfield that is larger than Katrina and also Rita's several years ago, quite amazing and it has one of the largest eye's I have ever seen, it was 77 miles across earlier but now contracted down to 55 miles across. Ya'll take care and again, if you recently bought something from me....expect shipping delays. If you are trying to contact me, good luck! Eddie Stakes 713.464.8825 eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.planethoustonamx.com please don't call or email for about a week! ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BaadAssGremlins/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BaadAssGremlins/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:BaadAssGremlins-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx mailto:BaadAssGremlins-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: BaadAssGremlins-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/